Willis Reed: Born on This Date in 1942
- Jake C
- Jun 25
- 10 min read
Cover photo: Willis Reed against the Boston Celtics on November 8, 1973. Photo credit: Ross Lewis, 2018 Getty Images.
Eighty-three years ago today, New York Knicks’ legend Willis Reed was born.
Reed was born in tiny Hico, La., a community in Lincoln Parish, La. After playing his high school ball at Westside High School in Lillie, Reed starred for four years at Grambling State University, a historically black college and university in Grambling, La.
As a Tiger, Reed was a two-time consensus 1st team All-American. He scored 2,280 total points and amassed 1,851 rebounds for career collegiate averages of 18.7 points and 15.2 rebounds. In 1961, he led the Tigers to the NAIA National Championship.
The 6 foot, 10 inch center was drafted tenth overall in the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Paul Silas, Luke Jackson, Jerry Sloan, and Happy Hairston were also taken in 1964. Sloan is in the Hall of Fame. Silas, Jackson, and Hairston were important role players on championship teams.
Reed saw opportunities right away as a rookie, starting eighty games and averaging 19.5 points and 14.7 rebounds on 43.2% shooting (eighteen attempts) in thirty-eight minutes per game. He was the NBA’s 1964 Rookie of the Year and made his first of seven consecutive all-star games.
In his second season, Reed averaged 15.5 points and 11.6 rebounds per game on 43.4% shooting with his shots decreased to thirteen. He played in seventy-six games in year two and shared front court time with another eventual Hall of Fame center, Walt Bellamy. The Knicks acquired “Bells” during the 1965-66 season.
Reed’s opportunities rose in 1966-67, averaging seventeen shots per game in seventy-eight games. He shot 48.9% and averaged thirty-six minutes compared to thirty-three the prior season, and averaged over 20 points per game (20.9) for the first time, something he would also accomplish over the next four seasons. He averaged 14.6 rebounds per game and made All-NBA 2nd team.
The Knicks went 36-45 in 1966-67, and lost the Eastern Division Semifinals 3-1 to the Boston Celtics. In his first playoff series, Reed posted averages of 27.5 points and 13.8 rebounds on 53.8% shooting against Bill Russell. Bellamy in the series averaged 18.3 points and 16.5 rebounds.
Willis Reed in 1967 Eastern Division Semifinals vs. BOS
Game 1: 23 points, 7 rebounds, 9-of-16 FG, 5-of-5 FT, 30 mins
Game 2: 30 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists, 14-of-26 FG, 2-of-2 FT, 40 mins
Game 3: 38 points, 16 rebounds, 14-of-22 FG, 10-of-11 FT, 37 mins
Game 4: 19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-of-16 FG, 7-of-7 FT, 41 mins
With the fifth pick in the 1967 NBA Draft, the Knicks drafted a 6 foot, 4 inch guard out of Southern Illinois University by the name of Walt Frazier. Reed had his partner, and the duo would soon usher in a new era in Knick history. In a league that was and would become stocked with guard-center duos (Monroe-Unseld, West-Chamberlain, Robertson-Abdul-Jabbar), the Knicks now had their pairing for the foreseeable future.
Reed averaged the same amount of shot attempts in ‘67-’68 as the previous season, shot 49%, and averaged 20.8 points and 13.2 rebounds. He made the All-NBA 2nd team once again. The Knicks went 43-39.
Going up against Wilt Chamberlain in the Eastern Division Semifinal, Reed put up a great effort in the six-game defeat to the 76ers.
Willis Reed 1968 EDSF Stats vs. Wilt Chamberlain
Game 1: 38 points, 23 rebounds, 4 assists, 14-of-22 FG, 10-of-11 FT, 40 mins
Game 2: 24 points, 10 rebounds, 11-of-20 FG, 2-of-2 FT, 40 mins
Game 3: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 6-of-10 FG, 2-of-4 FT, 33 mins
Game 4: 15 points, 12 rebounds, 7-of-13 FG, 1-of-3 FT, 33 mins
Game 5: 19 points, 8 rebounds, 8-of-16 FG, 3-of-6 FT, 32 mins
Game 6: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 7-of-16 FG, 4-of-4 FT, 30 mins
In the season preceding their 1970 championship, the Knicks finished with a 54-28 record. Reed averaged 21.1 points and 14.5 rebounds on 52.1% shooting (seventeen attempts) in thirty-eight minutes per game. He made the All-NBA 2nd team and finished second in MVP voting to the Baltimore Bullets’ Unseld. The Knicks had six other players average double figures in addition to Reed. Frazier averaged 17.5 points, 7.9 assists, and 6.2 rebounds and made the All-Defensive team.
Willis Reed 1969 Playoffs Game Log
Game 1 EDSF vs. BAL: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 7-of-13 FG, 42 mins
Game 2: 18 points, 14 rebounds, 7-of-18 FG, 4-of-5 FT, 46 mins
Game 3: 35 points, 19 rebounds, 16-of-28 FG, 3-of-6 FT, 44 mins
Game 4: 43 points, 17 rebounds, 15-of-29 FG, 13-of-14 FT, 46 mins (4-0 NYK)
Game 1 EDF vs. BOS: 24 points, 13 rebounds, 8-of-19 FG, 8-of-10 FT, 46 mins
Game 2: 28 points, 13 rebounds, 9-of-18 FG, 10-of-10 FT, 39 mins
Game 3: 14 points, 14 rebounds, 6-of-14 FG, 2-of-2 FT, 31 mins
Game 4: 22 points, 19 rebounds, 9-of-20 FG, 4-of-5 FT, 45 mins
Game 5: 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 10-of-15 FG, 4-of-6 FT, 43 mins
Game 6: 32 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 14-of-24 FG, 4-of-7 FT, 47 mins (4-2 BOS)
The Knicks of 1969-70 won 60 games and finished first in the NBA’s Eastern Division. They had the NBA’s stingiest defense, giving up 105.9 per game. Reed won league MVP, with averages of 21.7 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 50.7% shooting and 75.6% from the line. He averaged seventeen shots per game and thirty-eight minutes per game, suiting up in eighty-one of eighty-two contests. Frazier, like Reed, made both All-NBA 1st team and All-Defensive 1st team. Frazier finished fourth in MVP voting, with averages of 20.9 points, 8.2 assists, and 6.0 rebounds. Dick Barnett, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, and Cazzie Russell all averaged double figures in points as well. DeBusschere had been acquired in December of 1968 for Bellamy, clearing the way for Reed at the center position.
Reed had a terrific playoff run, with games of 30 points and 21 rebounds (Game 1, 2OT), 27 points and 17 rebounds (Game 2), 20 points and 15 rebounds (Game 4), and 36 points and a colossal 36 rebounds (Game 5) in the first round against the Bullets, which was a seven-game Knick series win.
The Knicks played Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Dandridge and the Milwaukee Bucks in the East Division Finals, a series that they won in five games.
Willis Reed 1970 EDF Stats vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Game 1: 24 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 10-of-19 FG, 4-of-4 FT, 40 mins
Game 2: 36 points, 19 rebounds, 14-of-23 FG, 8-of-10 FT, 45 mins
Game 3: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10-of-20 FG, 1-of-3 FT, 41 mins
Game 4: 26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 13-of-29 FG, 44 mins
Game 5: 32 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 14-of-22 FG, 4-of-6 FT, 34 mins
In the ‘70 Finals, the Knicks matched up with the Los Angeles Lakers of Wilt, West, and Baylor. Reed gave remarkable efforts in games one through four before being beset by a torn thigh muscle.
Willis Reed 1970 NBA Finals Stats vs. Wilt Chamberlain
Game 1: 37 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 16-of-30 FG, 5-of-7 FT, 45 mins
Game 2: 29 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 12-of-29 FG, 5-of-10 FT, 45 mins
Game 3: 38 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 17-of-30 FG, 4-of-8 FT, 49 mins (OT)
Game 4: 23 points, 12 rebounds, 10-of-23 FG, 3-of-6 FT, 52 mins (OT)
It was in the fifth game that Reed played only eight minutes before suffering the torn thigh. With the series tied at two games apiece, the Knicks prevailed in the game 107-100 behind 21 points, 12 assists, and 7 rebounds from Frazier.
With Reed out in Game 6, Chamberlain dominated with 45 points and 27 rebounds and the Lakers won 135-113, tying the series at three.
“And here comes Willis!”.
Marv Albert’s call as a hobbling Reed courageously made his way onto the court for the seventh game is one of the most enduring visuals and sound bites in NBA history. Despite playing just twenty-seven minutes, Reed made both of his shot attempts - a free-throw line jump shot and a shot from the right side of the floor. The Knicks won 113-99 behind the greatest Game 7 performance in Finals’ history, which came courtesy of Frazier. The star guard registered 36 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 assists. Reed, with averages in the series of 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, was named Finals MVP.
Reed played seventy-three games in 1970-71 and averaged 20.9 points and 13.7 rebounds on 46.2% shooting (his eighteen shots per game matched his career-high from his rookie season). He also in ‘70-’71 shot a career-high 78.5% from the free-throw line. Reed in ‘70-’71 made All-NBA (2nd team) for the final time in his career, and was an all-star for the final time in his career for the 52-win Knicks. He finished fourth in MVP voting behind Abdul-Jabbar (1st), West, and the Detroit Pistons’ Dave Bing.
The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals behind Frazier’s 25.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, Reed’s 20.2 points and 15.4 rebounds, and DeBusschere’s 19.0 points and 15.8 rebounds per game.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks lost 4-3 to Unseld, Earl Monroe and the Bullets. Reed averaged 12.4 points and 9.6 rebounds.
Tendonitis in Reed’s left knee limited him to just eleven games in 1971-72, but the Knicks still managed a 48-34 record. In his eleven games, the big man averaged 13.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in thirty-three minutes per game, thirteen shots per game.
With his shot attempts down to ten per game in 1972-73 with Frazier and now Monroe ruling the backcourt and Bill Bradley seeing an increase in shot attempts, Reed in twenty seven minutes per game still managed 11.0 points and 8.6 rebounds for the 57-25 Knicks. He played in sixty-nine regular season games.
Reed upped his production in the playoffs, with games of 16 points and 10 rebounds and 16 points and 9 rebounds in games two and three of the first round against the Bullets (4-1 Knicks), 18 points and 11 rebounds in game three of the second round against the Celtics (4-3 Knicks), and closing out the Finals with performances of 22 points and 10 rebounds (Game 3), 21 points and 11 rebounds (Game 4), and 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists in the championship clinching Game 5, a 102-93 victory. Reed was rewarded with his second NBA Finals MVP.
The series win gave the Knicks their second championship in four years and marked the conclusion (due to Chamberlain’s 1973 retirement) of the Reed-Chamberlain battles that occurred for nine seasons. In fifty-five regular season games against Chamberlain, Reed averaged 17.7 points and 12.5 rebounds.
In Reed’s last season of 1973-74, he averaged 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds in nineteen games, playing twenty-six minutes per game and averaging ten shots.
He retired after ten seasons with career averages of 18.7 points and 12.9 rebounds on 47.6% shooting in 650 career games. Reed averaged sixteen shots per game for his career and played an average of thirty-six minutes per game. In Knicks’ franchise history, Reed ranks fourth in minutes (23,073), third in field-goals (4,859), third in field-goal attempts (10,202), second in rebounds (8,414), and second in rebounds per game (12.9). His 1,191 rebounds in ‘68-‘69 are a franchise record for a single season and he holds five of the top ten rebounding average seasons in franchise history.
Some people look at the 1990s talented centers - from O’Neal to Olajuwon to Robinson to Ewing - and point to that time as the best era of centers in NBA history.
But if you rewind twenty-five or so years, you’ll find a time where Chamberlain battled with Russell, Nate Thurmond was manning the pivot in San Francisco, Bellamy had Baltimore and Atlanta locked down, and Unseld in Baltimore and Washington was grabbing every rebound. Nearly every team had an all-star (or Hall of Fame) center. Shortly thereafter, the likes of Abdul-Jabbar and Dave Cowens came through.
In ten playoff games against Russell, Reed averaged 25.4 points and 13.6 rebounds, and in sixteen regular season games against Abdul-Jabbar in his career averaged 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds. In forty-six career contests versus Thurmond, Reed averaged 14.9 points and 12.1 rebounds. He faced Unseld twenty-six times and averaged 19.5 points, and 13.8 rebounds.
It was a time when centers played down low, bumping and bruising, fighting for position. The first option was always the post.
The Sixers and Lakers had Chamberlain, the Bullets had Unseld, the Celtics had Russell, the Warriors had Thurmond and the Bucks had Abdul-Jabbar. Bellamy from ages thirty-one to thirty-three was still averaging upwards of 18 points and 13 rebounds per game. That is just what it was. The golden age of big men.
The Knicks had Willis Reed. He was a tough player whose lack of size (especially when compared to Chamberlain or Abdul-Jabbar) never hindered him because of his undying will.
“Willis was one of the more competitive guys, man,” Frazier told me about his fellow legendary teammate. Reed, who was a physical player with a smooth jump shot and could take you out to seventeen, eighteen feet. was for ten seasons the identifier of New York Knick basketball, sharing some of that time with Frazier. One was the bigger celebrity, the more visible, the more dynamic. The other was the rock in the middle. To this day, the Knicks are still looking to recapture that ‘70s glory.
Whichever order you want to place them in, it is Reed, Frazier, and Ewing atop Mount Olympus as the greatest Knicks. But it was Reed who was there first, following late-1950s and early-1960s star Richie Guerin.
Reed was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. In 2006, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2022 he became the first basketball player in Grambling State history to have his jersey retired.
On March 21, 2023, Reed died at the age of 80 after dealing with congestive heart issues.
There are not two championship banners hanging high in Madison Square Garden if not for the lefty with the nice jumper. The Captain.
“He was the backbone of the team,” said former front court teammate Bradley after Reed’s passing. “He was the guy that took us to the first championship by his courage, and by his unselfishness. And he was a big Knick all his life.”
Willis Reed. Remembered on what would have been his 83rd birthday.
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